A PUBLIC hustings meeting with parliamentary candidates of the Wells and Mendip Hills Constituency is being held in Wells ahead of the General Election. Chaired by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Rev Michael Beasley, it will take place in St Cuthbert’s Church on Thursday, June 20.
Doors will open at 7pm, the discussion will start at 7.30pm, and the event is due to finish by 9.30pm.
All the candidates have been invited to take part. Those who have confirmed their attendance at the hustings so far are Joe Joseph (Labour and Co-operative), Abi McGuire (Independent), Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat) and Peter Welsh (Green).
Helen Hims (Reform UK) and Meg Powell-Chandler (Conservative) are also standing in the constituency. Nominations close on June 7.
The hustings event is being organised as part of an initiative by the ecumenical body Churches Together in Somerset, the Co-Presidents of which are the regional leaders of the Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, United Reformed and Salvation Army churches.
They are encouraging all churches across the county to engage actively in the General Election, which will take place on July 4, by questioning candidates, engaging with the issues, organising public hustings meetings, and praying.
They are also calling on all parliamentary candidates to conduct their campaigns with integrity, honesty and fairness, avoiding personal attacks and smears, and to seek the common good with a spirit of listening.
The church leaders say that they “acknowledge the enormous challenges we share in our county, and the deep responsibilities that any elected politician will face”.
As well as engaging in the election, they want people to be encouraged to register as voters (by the June 18 deadline), reminded to take personal ID to the polling station – and encouraged to vote on the day itself.
For more details about the hustings in Wells on June 20, contact Jonathan Lloyd: ctogethersomerset@gmail.com